Tigst Assefa, the fastest marathon runner in history, wants to achieve a new world record this Sunday at the London Marathon.
The Ethiopian already amazed everyone in September when he set the marathon world record (in mixed races) with a mark of 2h11:53 in Berlinbut he thinks he can run faster.
“In the future I want to run under two hours and ten minutes,” he said in an interview with Athletics Weekly. “I really believe that I can, God willing, get down to that mark,” he said.
The 27-year-old athlete is coached by Gemedu Dedefoboth train the recent winner of the Boston Marathon Sissay Lemma and the marathon world champion in 2022 Tamirat Tola.
“We have a very strong group and it helps that we all take our training seriously,” added Assefa. “If we get a good result, we will have extra confidence when we go to other competitions.”
Tigst Assefa is the main favorite to win the London Marathon this Sunday, where he will beat the world record in an all-female racecurrently owned by Kenyan Mary Keitany with 2h17:01.
There you will see faces with the former world record holder in the distance, the Kenyan Brigid Kosgeithe world champion Ruth Chepngetich, the Olympic champion Peres Jepchirchir and the winner of the London Marathon in 2022 Yalemzerf Yehualaw.
With such a competitive elite group, good times are expected, although it seems unlikely that Assefa will attack the 2h10 barrier less than four months before the start of Olympic Games in Paris.
“My goal is to win,” said the Ethiopian. “Whether it’s London or Berlin, it’s the same for me. I won’t change my strategy. I’m here to win.”
Source: La Verdad
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